Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of cooking device and more particularly to the art of portable cooking devices storable in tight spaces.
Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been known to provide portable frying assemblies, as may be seen, for representative example, in Kimbrough, U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,498. Some portable cooking arrangements have provided optional shelf attachments, such as, for example, Coleman, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,213. Typically, such shelf arrangements are provided primarily for positioning cooking tools such as spatulas and tongs. Id. Such shelf arrangements are typically flat or level shelving, as may be appreciated given the purpose for them. Some frying arrangements are configured to be inserted in a level table which provides extended storage area adjacent to the frying pan or well. See, e.g., Segroves, U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,276.
All such arrangements show and describe significant improvements in the art of cooking by frying in portable devices. However, it has been sought to provide for a frying configuration which also provides for storage of the cooked, fried food immediately following the frying, whereby the frying oils or other liquids are drained from the fried foods while the fried foods are maintained warm, even hot during such a draining process.
Moreover, it is desired to provide a portable cooking by frying device which can maintain the cooked food at least warm, if not hot for substantial times, even after the foods have been drained. It is further desired that both of these desired objectives be provided in a portable structure that can be folded into a relatively small, tight spaced configuration that can be carried simply with one hand.